Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Chito-oligosaccharides with Alternating N-d-Acetylglucosamine and d-Glucosamine.

Chito-oligosaccharides (CHOS) are homo- or hetero-oligomers of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc, A) and d-glucosamine (GlcN, D). Production of well-defined CHOS-mixtures, or even pure CHOS, with specific lengths and sugar compositions, is of great interest since these oligosaccharides have interesting bioactivities. While direct chemical synthesis of CHOS is not straightforward, chemo-enzymatic approaches have shown some promise. We have used engineered glycoside hydrolases to catalyze oligomerization of activated DA building blocks through transglycosylation reactions. The building blocks were generated from readily available (GlcNAc)2-para-nitrophenol through deacetylation of the nonreducing end sugar with a recombinantly expressed deacetylase from Aspergillus niger (AnCDA9). This approach, using a previously described hyper-transglycosylating variant of ChiA from Serratia marcescens (SmChiA) and a newly generated transglycosylating variant of Chitinase D from Serratia proteamaculans (SpChiD), led to production of CHOS containing up to ten alternating D and A units [(DA)2, (DA)3, (DA)4, and (DA)5]. The most abundant compounds were purified and characterized. Finally, we demonstrate that (DA)3 generated in this study may serve as a specific inhibitor of the human chitotriosidase. Inhibition of this enzyme has been suggested as a therapeutic strategy against systemic sclerosis.

Inhibition of fungal plant pathogens by synergistic action of chito-oligosaccharides and commercially available fungicides.

Chitosan is a linear heteropolymer consisting of ß 1,4-linked N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and D-glucosamine (GlcN). We have compared the antifungal activity of chitosan with DPn (average degree of polymerization) 206 and FA (fraction of acetylation) 0.15 and of enzymatically produced chito-oligosaccharides (CHOS) of different DPn alone and in combination with commercially available synthetic fungicides, against Botrytis cinerea, the causative agent of gray mold in numerous fruit and vegetable crops. CHOS with DPn in the range of 15-40 had the greatest anti-fungal activity. The combination of CHOS and low dosages of synthetic fungicides showed synergistic effects on antifungal activity in both in vitro and in vivo assays. Our study shows that CHOS enhance the activity of commercially available fungicides. Thus, addition of CHOS, available as a nontoxic byproduct of the shellfish industry, may reduce the amounts of fungicides that are needed to control plant diseases.

Aromatic residues in the catalytic center of chitinase A from Serratia marcescens affect processivity, enzyme activity, and biomass converting efficiency.

The processive Serratia marcescens chitinases A (ChiA) and B (ChiB) are thought to degrade chitin in the opposite directions. A recent study of ChiB suggested that processivity is governed by aromatic residues in the +1 and +2 (aglycon) subsites close to the catalytic center. To further investigate the roles of aromatic residues in processivity and to gain insight into the structural basis of directionality, we have mutated Trp(167), Trp(275), and Phe(396) in the -3, +1, and +2 subsites of ChiA, respectively, and characterized the hydrolytic activities of the mutants toward beta-chitin and the soluble chitin-derivative chitosan. Although the W275A and F396A mutants showed only modest reductions in processivity, it was almost abolished by the W167A mutation. Thus, although aglycon subsites seem to steer processivity in ChiB, a glycon (-3) subsite seems to be adapted to do so in ChiA, in line with the notion that the two enzymes have different directionalities. Remarkably, whereas all three single mutants and the W167A/W275A double mutant showed reduced efficiency toward chitin, they showed up to 20-fold higher activities toward chitosan. These results show that the processive mechanism is essential for an efficient conversion of crystalline substrates but comes at a large cost in terms of intrinsic enzyme speed. This needs to be taken into account when devising enzymatic strategies for biomass turnover.

Carbon black particles increase reactive oxygen species formation in rat alveolar macrophages in vitro.

Alveolar macrophages (AM) have an important role in clearing particles from the lungs. In response to different stimuli they can release reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory mediators and promote pulmonary inflammation. We exposed rat AM to carbon black (CB) particles (0.63-20 microg/ml) and measured the eneration of ROS by using the fluorescent probe 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate. Fluorescence was elevated in a concentration dependent manner in the AM exposed to CB. Follow-up experiments using a series of enzyme inhibitors indicate that the ERK MAP kinase pathway and the p38 MAP kinase pathway may be involved in the formation of ROS.

ROS scavenging effects of organic extract of diesel exhaust particles on human neutrophil granulocytes and rat alveolar macrophages.

Diesel exhaust particles are major constituents of ambient air pollution, and are associated with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer. The organic part of the particles is heterogenic and complex, and seems to be responsible for many of the adverse effects. Increased formation of ROS is often connected to the adverse effects. We have therefore investigated the effect of an organic extract of diesel exhaust particles on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) status in human neutrophil granulocytes and rat alveolar macrophages in vitro. ROS formation were studied by three different assays namely the use of DCFH-DA, lucigenin and luminol. The organic extract increased ROS assayed with DCFH-DA, but it decreased the amount of ROS in cells stimulated by PMA in all three assays. The identities of the ROS affected were further studied in cell free systems. The cell free studies confirmed that the extract had scavenging effects against superoxide, hypochlorite and to a smaller extent against peroxynitrite, but not against the hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide. ROS take part in the intracellular signalling pathways as well as in the defence against invading microorganisms, and the possible effects of interference of the redox status in the cells are discussed.

Transcellular signalling pathways and TNF-alpha release involved in formation of reactive oxygen species in rat alveolar macrophages exposed to tert-butylcyclohexane.

In the present work, the effects of aliphatic ( n-nonane and n-decane), alicyclic (1,2,4-trimethylcyclohexane and tert-butylcyclohexane, t-BCH) and aromatic (trimethylbenzene and tert-butylbenzene) hydrocarbon solvents on formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha in rat alveolar macrophages (AM) have been investigated. Formation of ROS was assessed by monitoring oxidation of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin to 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF), and the proinflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) was detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. DCF fluorescence was elevated in a concentration-dependent manner by the alicyclic hydrocarbons. The involvement of transcellular signalling pathways in the production of ROS by t-BCH, the most active compound, was elucidated by use of specific inhibitors. Preincubation of the AM with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK 1/2) inhibitor U0126, the protein kinase C inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide, the superoxide dismutase inhibitor diethyldithiocarbamate, and the iron ion chelating agent deferoxamine reduced the DCF fluorescence significantly. t-BCH gave an increase in TNF-alpha release. Further, nitric oxide production measured by a modified Griess method, and intracellular calcium concentration measured by fura-2, were increased in the rat AM after exposure to t-BCH.